B&M praised for playing role in reducing waste management burden

A leading waste management company has been praised for its work in reducing waste management burdens at a House of Commons event.

B&M Waste Services was invited to attend the prestigious event at which Environment Secretary Owen Paterson spoke.

Organised by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the event showcased initiatives aimed at simplifying regulation and reducing burdens for business.

Among the systems to be highlighted was the Electronic Duty of Care (edoc) which provides waste management companies such as B&M and businesses with an alternative to the exchange of Waste Transfer Notes (WTNs). Every transfer of waste has to be documented, but edoc helps to save time and money and improve efficiency.

More than 3,000 B&M customers have moved over to edoc since its launch in January this year. The Merseyside-headquartered company was invited to join a Board Advisory Group to advise on the develop of edoc.

Paul Newton, B&M’s National Accounts Manager, said: “We were invited to attend the House of Commons event because we have successfully integrated edoc into the service we provide to our customers across the UK.

“Last year we sent over 8000 waste transfer notes to our customers by post, printing three or four pieces of paper per transfer.

“With edoc, all our annual WTNs are online. We will know exactly who has received them and who has checked and signed them. We receive instant email alerts and do not have to worry about paper being lost in the post or on someone’s desk. The system will save on time and on money and have a positive environmental impact.”

Grahame Henderson, Finance Director at B&M, said: “As a business, we are always streamlining our processes to be more efficient for our customers and more environmentally friendly. As soon as we were made aware that the Environment Agency was preparing to launch a new online system for recording waste transfers we were eager to be involved.

“Customers have been very receptive to the new edoc system and our aim is to convert all customers to edoc by the end of 2014.”

Paul was joined at the House of Commons event by MPs, Defra officials and leading figures in the waste management industry including the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management.